Combination spear and ball game



Aug. 13, 1940. T. HOCHBERG COMBINATION SPEAR AND BALL GAME 2 Shets-Sheetl Original Filed April 14, 1939 INVENTOR T150040]? flotkdelzp BY ATTORNEY Aug. 13, 1940. T. HOCHBERG COMBINATION SPEAR AND BALL GAME Original Filed April 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR eadore Hoe/2691:

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES COMBINATION SPEAK AND BALL GAME Theodore Hochberg, New York, N. Y.

Refiled for abandoned application Serial No. 267,764, April 14, 1939'. This application March 20, 1940, Serial No. 325,077

5 Claims. (01. 273-118 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a combination spear and ball game. The present application is a refile of my abandoned application, Serial Number 267,764, filed on April 14, 1939.

More specifically, the invention proposes the construction of a combination spear and ball game characterized by a body having one or a plurality of spears mounted thereon and upon which balls are adapted to be rolled, thrown, 1

tossed, bounced, propelled, or shot in a manner to engage the same upon said spears.

Still further it is proposed that each of said balls be hollow in construction and have a plurality of differently sized geometric openings extending therethrough for varying the skill required for engaging the balls upon said spears.

Still further'it is proposed to arrange a plurality of bins in a specific relation to said spears in a manner so that the balls may be engaged into said bins when they-miss or do not engage said spears.

Still further it is proposed that each of said spears .and each of said bins have the same or a different value for permitting a score to be taken to determine the winner of the game.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combination spear and ball game constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional viewon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 to 11 inclusive are views of the balls used in conjunction with this game.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of one of the balls taken on the line |2-l2 'of Fig. 4.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a modification of the invention.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of one of the spears.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a spear taken at a slightly different angle.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a combination spear and ball game constructed according to a still further modification of. the invention.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 11

illustrating a further modification of the invention.

Fig. 18 is a sectional View on the line I8-l8 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 19 is a sectional view on the line |9.l9 of 5 Fig. 18.

The combination spear and ball game, according to this invention, comprises a body In having a bottom wall Ill and a rearwardly sloping top wall 10*. At the back the body In is formed 10 with an upwardly extending rear wall Ill upon which a plurality of spears I l are mounted. The spears ll extend towards the front of the body I and have their pointed front ends spaced slightly above the rear end of the inclined top 15 wall I0 or parallel to the body In. Immediately below the spears H, and to the rear of the inclined top wall 10 the body is formed with a plurality of bins 12. These bins are separated from each other by vertical walls [3 which extend between the back wall iii and the rear end of the rearwardly inclined top wall 10.

The front end of the body I0 is provided with a trough M. A plurality of balls is provided of one or various sizes and having geometric openings of different sizes representing different scores and varying the skill required to engage the balls upon the spears. The balls are adapted to be rolled upon the inclined top wall 10 towards the spears II in an attempt to engage them thereon. In Fig. 4 one of the balls I is shown which is provided with a plurality of openings ll") varying in size from to In Fig. 5 another ball I5 is illustrated which is provided with a plurality of openings I5 all of which are substantially in size.

In Fig. 6 a ball I5 is illustrated having a plurality of openings 15 varying in size from A to /2. In Fig. 7 another ball I5 is shown having openings 15 varying in size from A," to /3". In Fig. 8 a ball- 15 is illustrated having openings l5 varying in size from A to 1". In Fig. 9 still another ball 15 is illustrated having a plurality of diamond shaped openings I5 all substantially the same size. In Fig. elongated openings 5 are shown in ball and in Fig. 11, the openings l5 are of arcuate shape.

As shown in Fig. 12 all of the balls are of hollow construction and may be made of wood, metal, rubber, Celluloid or similar plastic materials, and have the openings extended therethrough and connecting with the interior thereof to permit the balls to engage thereon without requiring them to move directly towards the spears with the openings in end alignment therewith. All of these balls are substantially of the same size and it is preferred that they be substantially of 1 in diameter with the spears H spaced substantially 1 above the rear end of the top wall 10 to permit the spears to engage into the openings when the balls are rolled thereon. However, if the balls do not engage upon the spears they will roll off the end of the wall and drop into the bins l2.

There is sufficient space between spears II to allow the balls [5 to rest next to each other when speared. The ball may also lodge on top between the spears H.

It is proposed that each of the spears II and the bins l2 be provided with the same or a different numerical or card value for permitting a score to be taken to determine the winner of a game.

According to the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 13 the game consists of a body If) having the spears ll mounted upon the rear end thereof with the bins l2 arranged to the rear of the spears H. Each of the spears ll comprises a horizontal portion H extending parallel or slightly upward to the top wall of the body ID. The horizontal portions I l continue into vertical portions li The bottom ends of the vertical portions ll are provided with standards i 1 by means of which the spears are attached to the top face of the body I. These spears ll also have their pointed front ends spaced from the top of the body H) a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the balls 15 for permitting them to engage thereon if the alignment of the openings therein is correct with relation to the pointed ends of the spears.

According to the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 16 the construction of the combination spear and ball game is similar to that described relative to Fig. 13 except that the spears ll extend vertically upwards from the top face of the body i0 The body it to the front of the spears H is provided with a hump Hi up which the balls iii are adapted to be rolled for permitting the balls to drop vertically or diagonally downwards to engage them upon the spears H. In other respects this form of the invention is similar to the previous forms.

According to the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 17 to 19 the construction of the spear and ball game is similar to Fig. 1 except that a means is provided for permitting the spears l l to be extended at various angular positions with relation to the back wall la for varying the skill required to engage the balls thereon. Each of the spears H is provided with a rear elliptical ball portion li which engages into an enlarged elliptical opening 28 formed in a bracket 2|. The bracket 2! is mounted on the back wall ID by means of a plurality of pins 22 extended therethrough.

A means is provided for frictionally holding the elliptical ball portion li to hold the spears II in various angular positions with relation to the back wall lfi This means comprises offset portions 23 formed on opposite sides of the bracket 2i. A pin 24 is slidably extended into the offset portion 23 and is provided with a fiat friction element 25 which is adapted to engage the elliptical ball portion li for holding the same in its adjusted position. A spring 25 is coaxially mounted upon the pin 24 and operates between the end wall of the offset portion 23 and the adjacent face of the friction member 25 for urging the friction members together to tightly clamp the elliptical ball portion II in position therebetween.

With this construction is it possible to grip the spear l l and manually or mechanically shift the same to any desired position with relation to the rear wall and the springs 26 will urge the friction elements 25 into a position in which they will bear against the elliptical ball portion for maintaining the spear in its adjusted position. In other respects this form of the invention is similar to the previous forms.

It is to be understood that the balls used in this device may be of any desired size or shape and made of any suitable material. The proportion and shape of the body I0 and spears ll may also be altered to conform as may the mechanism controlling the spear slant.

The ball may be tossed, rolled or propelled by hand or by a suitable plunger or gun, secured in any desired manner in the game body.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A combination spear and ball game, comprising a body, a platform at the front of said body and upon which balls having apertures are adapted to be rolled, a vertical wall at the rear of said body and spaced from the rear end of said platform, a plurality of differently numbered spears having their back ends mounted on said wall and their pointed front ends extended forwards and spaced slightly above the back top edge of said platform so that the spears may engage into the apertures of said balls to catch the balls thereon when rolled on said platform, and a plurality of vertical walls extending from the rear end of said platform to the front face of said wall for dividing the space between said platform and wall into a plurality of differently numbered bins into which the balls are adapted to drop in the event they are not caught by said spears.

2. A combination spear and ball game, comprising a body, a platform at the front of said body and upon which balls having apertures are adapted to be rolled, a vertical wall at the rear of said body and spaced from the rear end of said platform, a plurality of differently numbered spears having their back ends mounted on said wall and their pointed front ends extended forwards and spaced slightly above the back top edge of said platform so that the spears may engage into the apertures of said balls to catch the balls thereon when rolled on said platform, and a plurality of vertical walls extending from the rear end of said platform to the front face of said wall for dividing the space between said platform and wall into a plurality of differently numbered bins into which the balls are adapted to drop in the event they are not caught by said spears, and means for resiliently holding said spears in position on said back wall so as to be movable into various positions with relation to said platform to vary the skill required to engage the balls upon said spears.

3. A combination spear and ball game, comprising a body, a platform at the front of said body and upon which balls having apertures are adapted to be rolled, a vertical wall at the rear of said body and spaced from the rear end of said platform, a plurality of differently numbered spears having their back ends mounted on said wall and their pointed front ends extended forwards and spaced slightly above the back top edge of said platform so that the spears may engage into the apertures of said balls to catch the balls thereon when rolled on said. platform, and a plurality of vertical walls extending from the rear end of said platform to the front face of said wall for dividing the space between said platform and wall into a plurality of differently numbered bins into which the balls are adapted to drop in the event they are not caught by said spears, and means for resiliently holding said spears in position on said back wall so as to be movable into various positions with relation to said platform to vary the skill required to engage the balls upon said spears, comprising a bracket for each of said spears mounted on said wall and having an enlarged elliptical shaped opening, an elliptical ball portion formed on the rear end of each of said spears and engaged into the enlargedelliptical shaped opening of its respective bracket, and means for holding said elliptical ball portions in various pivoted and turned positions within said elliptical shaped openings.

4. A combination spear and ball game, comprising a body, a platform at the front of said body and upon which balls having apertures are adapted to be rolled, a vertical wall at the rear of said body and spaced from the rear end of said platform, a plurality of differently numbered spears having their back ends mounted on said wall and their pointed front ends extended forwards and spaced slightly above the back top edge of said platform so that the spears may engage into the apertures of said balls to catch the balls thereon when rolled on said platform, and a plurality of vertical walls extending from the rear end of said platform to the front face of said wall for dividing the space between said platform and wall into a plurality of differently numbered bins into which the balls are adapted to drop in the event they are not caught by said spears, and means for resiliently holding said spears in position on said back wall so as to be movable into various positions with relation to said platform to vary the skill required to engage the balls upon said spears, comprising a bracket for each of said spears mounted on said wall and having an enlarged elliptical shaped opening, an elliptical ball portion formed on the rear end of each of said spears and engaged into the enlarged elliptical shaped! opening of its respective bracket, and

means for holding said elliptical ball portionsin various pivoted and turned positions within said elliptical shaped openings, comprising an offset portion formed on diametrically opposite sides of each of said brackets, a pin slidably extended into each of said offset portions, and a fiat friction element mounted on the inner end of each of said pins, and resilient means for urging said pins into a position in which said friction elements will bear rigidly against diametrically opposite sides of said elliptical ball portion.

5. A combination spear and ball game, comprising a body, a platform at the front of said body and upon which balls having apertures are adapted to be rolled, a Vertical wall at the rear of said body and spaced from the rear end of said platform, a plurality of differently numbered spears having their back ends mounted on said wall and their pointed front ends extended forwards and spaced slightly above the back top edge of said platform so that the spears may engage into the apertures of said balls to catch the balls thereon when rolled on said platform, and a plurality of vertical walls extending from the rear end of said platform to the front face of said wall for dividing the space between said platform and wall into a plurality of differently numbered bins into which the balls are adapted to drop in the event they are not caught by said spears, and means for resiliently holding said spears in position on said back wall so as to be movable into various positions with relation to said platform to vary the skill required to engage the balls upon said spears, comprising a bracket for each of said spears mounted on said wall and having an enlarged elliptical shaped opening, an elliptical ball portion formed on the rear end of each of said spears and engaged into the enlarged elliptical shaped opening of its respective bracket, and means for holding said elliptical ball portions in various pivoted and turned positions within said elliptical shaped openings, comprising an offset portion formed on diametrically opposite sides of each of said brackets, a pin slidably extended into each of said offset portions, and a flat friction element mounted on the inner end of each of said pins, and resilient means for urging said pins into a position in which said friction elements will bear rigidly against diametrically opposite sides of said elliptical ball portion, said resilient means, comprising expansion springs coaxially mounted on said pins and operating between said friction elements and a portion of said offset portions.

THEODORE HOCHBERG. 

